Excavating, loading, and carry-off earth working machine



July 29, 1958 w. CARSTON 2,844,892

EXCAVATING, LOADING AND CARRY-OFF EARTH WORKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 EXCAVATING, LOADING AND CARRY-OFF EARTH woaxms MACHINE Filed Nov. 16; 1956 w. CARSTON July 29, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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- EXCAVATING, LOADING AND CARRY-OFF EARTH WORKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1956 I I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. #441758 I mam/14 United States Patent EXCAVATING, LOADING, AND CARRY-OFF EARTH WORKING MACHINE Walter Carston, Delano, Calif.

Application November 16, 1956, Serial No. 622,666

1 Claim. (Cl. 37-4) The present invention relates to excavating machines generally and in particular to an excavating machine which loads and carries off the excavated earth.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine which lends itself to rapid excavating of the earth, efficient loading of the excavated earth and carrying off of the excavated earth to a place of disposal with rapid unloading at the place of disposal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a loader unit which may be incorporated in the structure of a self-propelled excavating machine or in the structure of a tractor-propelled excavating machine, one which is simple in structure, sturdy in construction, highly efficient in action, and economically feasible.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the excavating machine, according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; l

' Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 p Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the excavating machine, according to the present invention, comprises a mobile frame indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and including'a forward portion 11 having an arch member 12 at the forward end thereof supported upon a shaft 13 which extends between the front wheels 14 and 15. A forwardly projecting tongue 16 is provided for connecting the axle 13 to a towing vehicle, although the excavating machine, according to the present invention, may be self-propelled or provided for pushing movement over the ground by a tractor. The mobile frame 10 includes a rear portion 17 attached to the rear end of a horizontally disposed scoop 18 and having a pair of wheels 19 and 20 rotatably supported thereon. p p

The scoop 18 has an open front end and a bottom 21 with a pair of side Walls 22 and 23 rising from the bottom 21. The scoop 18 includesan end frame 24 extending between the rear ends of the side walls 22 and 23 and attached to the side walls22 and 23 and also attached to the rear end of the bottom 21.

The scoop 18 includes an excavating blade 25 extending transversely of the mobile frame 10 and along the front end of the bottom 21. The scoop 18 is positioned longitudinally with respect to the frame 10 with the blade 25 facing forwardly of the end frame 24.

The forward portion 11 of the mobile frame 10 has arms 26 and 27 which extend rearwardly one on each Patented July 29, 1958 side of the scoop 18 and connected to the side walls 22 and 23 by means of trunnion pins 28.

Hydraulic cylinder assemblies 29 are mounted upon each side of the frame portion 11 and have actuating arms pivotally connected to forwardly projecting frame members 31 which rise from each side of the scoop 18 forwardly of the open end of the latter. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinders 29 in one direction causes the frame members 31 to move from the full line position shown in Figure 2 to the dotted line position. Because of the pivotal connection of the arms 26 and 27 to the sides of the scoop 18, the arms 26 and 27 are caused to move to the dotted line position upwardly of their full line position in Figure 2. and effects the tilting movement of the bottom 21 of the scoop 18 from the full line horizontal position to a position in which the bottom of the scoop is in an upwardly forwardly sloping direction. The hydraulic cylinder assemblies may be collapsed also to lower the blade 25 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, the arms 26 and 27 moving to another dotted line position indicated by the reference numeral 26' in Figure 2.

The loader unit, indicated generally by the reference numeral 32, is positioned transversely of the scoop 18 adjacent to and forwardly of the blade 25. The loader unit 32 includes a pair of upstanding pusher blades 33 and 34 arranged, as shown most clearly in Figure 3,

in superimposed spaced relation and are connected to the frame 10 for simultaneous movement along an orbital path about a horizontal axis which is arranged transverse with respect to the scoop 18, the path of the blades being into and out of the portion of the scoop 18 adjacent the blade 25.

The pusher blades 33 and 34 are connected to the mobile frame 10 by means of an auxiliary frame 35 which extends transversely of and above the frame 10 and which is of inverted U-shape. The frame 10 includes a horizontally disposed tube 36 fixedly secured to the upper ends of upwardly extending side frame members 37 and 38 which are positioned on each side of the scoop 18 and formed integrally with the side walls 22 and 23 of the scoop 18.

Referring to Figure 4, a bar 39 extends through the tube 36 and constitutes the bight of the auxiliary frame 35 of the loader unit 32. The ends of the bar 39 support stub shafts 41 which have a portion of each exteriorly of the tube 36. The auxiliary frame 35 has legs 42 on each end of the bar 39 with the upper ends of the legs pivotally connected to the stub shafts 41.

The horizontally disposed shaft 43 extends between the lower ends of the legs 42 and is rotatably supported thereon by means of bearing structures 44. A vertically disposed disc 45 is carried upon each end of the shaft 43 for rotation therewith the shaft 43. The discs 45 are arranged in parallel spaced relation and carry the pair of upstanding pusher blades 33 and 34 by means of auxiliary shafts 46 and 47, respectively.

The discs 45 are hollow and sprocket wheels 48 positioned within the hollow discs 45 are mounted upon the adjacent end portions of the shafts 46 and 47. Another sprocket .wheel 49 is fixedly secured to the shaft 43 and is positioned within the hollow disc 45 at each end of the shaft 43 and a chain 51 interconnects the sprocket 48 and the sprocket 49 Within each disc 45, as shown most clearly in Figure 5. Idler pulleys 52 are provided so that the chain 51 has full engagement with the sprocket which also carries another sprocket wheel 61, the latter being drivably connected by another chain 52 to 'a sprocket wheel 63 mounted upon the end of the power shaft 64. An electrical hydraulic motor -65 is mounted upon the tube 36 and is operatively connected to the shaft 64 for effecting the rotation of the disc 45 in a clockwise direction.

Means is provided for swinging the loader unit 32 from the position in which the ends of the legs 42 are adjacent to and spaced from the blade 25 to a position in which the ends of the legs 42 are swung away from the open end of the scoop 18. Specifically, this means embodies a pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies 66 positioned one on each side of the scoop 18 adjacent the forward end of the latter and pivotally connected by one end to the side frame member 37 and having its other end connected to the lower end of the leg 42. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 66 effects the swinging movement of the rotor unit from the full line position shown in Figure 2 to the dotted line position.

An end gate 67 is positioned within the scoop 18 and is normally adjacent the end frame 24 and is movable away from the end frame 24 when the loader unit is in the swung-away position to unload the dirt piled within the scoop 18. The means provided for moving the end gate 67 away from the end frame 24 is another hydraulic cylinder assembly 68 mounted upon the rear portion '17 of the frame and having its actuating arm operatively connected to the end gate 67 for effecting the movement of the latter from the full line position shown in Figure 2 to the dotted line position shown in that figure. While the hydraulic cylinder assembly 68 is herein illustrated and described, any other suitable means may be used for moving the end gate forwardly within the scoop. The

forward and lower ends of each of the scoop side 22 and 23 are provided with vertically extending sod turning blades which are positioned ahead of the excavating blade 25 and serve to cut the sod and to provide'a side edge for the trough of dirt excavated by theblade 25.

In operation, the excavating machine, according to the present invention, may be pushed or towed by a tractor or may be provided with self-propelled wheels. A motor 65 may be connected to the hydraulic or electric system of the prime mover and the rotation of the disc 45 in the clockwise direction will cause the pusher blades 33 and 34 to move in an orbital path about the shaft 43. The sprocket wheels 49 are fixed and cause, by means of the chain 51, the sprocket wheels 48 to revolve in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the disc 45 upon execution of rotary movement of the disc 45 in the clockwise direction. This causes the pusher blades 33 and 34 to remain in their upright positions during all of their movement into and out of the portion of the scoop 18 adjacent the blade 25, the blades 33 and 34 being shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 in their upright positions resulting from a quarter revolution of the discs 45. This movement of the blades 33 and 34 into and out of the portion of the scoop 18 adjacent the blade 25 causes thedirt scraped up by the blade 25 to be pushed into and piled within the scoop 18. Upon filling of the scoop 18 with dirt scraped by the blade 25, the hydraulic cylinder assemblies 29 are actuated to raise the scoop bottom 21 from the horizontal position to an upwardly sloping posi-- tion and next the excavating machine is moved, at a high rate of speed, to the place of disposal of the dirt. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 66 next moves the blades 33 and 34 with their disc 45 and supporting auxiliary frame 35 forwardly of the open end of the scoop 18. Actuation of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 68 causes the end gate 67 to move from its position adjacent the end frame 24 towards the open end of the scoop 18 pushing the dirt contained in the scoop 18 over the blade 25 and distributing it upon the ground surface.

It will be seen that the excavating machine of the present invention may be used to rapidly and etficiently excavate dirt or earth, carry the earth to a place of disposal and rapidly dispose of the dirt, traveling between the excavating site and the disposal site at a relatively high rate of speed. Each of the pusher blades 34 are provided at their lower ends with a hardened blade portion 71 providing long wear for the pusher blades 33 and 34.

What is claimed is:

In an excavating machine, a mobile frame, a horizontally disposed scoop having an open front end and including a bottom, a pair of side walls rising from said bottom, an end frame extending between the rear ends of and attached to said side walls and to the rear end of said bottom, and an excavating blade extending along the front end of said bottom, positioned transversely of said mobile frame with the blade of said scoop facing forwardly of said end frame and connected to said mobile frame for movement from the horizontal position to a position in which the bottom of said scoop is in an upwardly forwardly sloping direction, a loader unit including an inverted U-shaped auxiliary frame arranged transversely of and above said mobile frame and having the free ends of the legs thereof adjacent to and forwardly of said excavation blade, said auxiliary frame being connected by the bight thereof to said mobile frame for swinging movement from the position in which said leg ends are adjacent said excavating blade to a position in which said leg ends are swung away from the open end of said scoop, means operatively connected to said legs for effecting the swinging movement of said auxiliary frame, a pair of vertically disposed discs arranged in spaced relation, positioned between said legs and connected to said legs for swinging movement therewith and for rotationalmovement together in the clockwise di rection, means operatively connected to said discs for effecting the rotational movement of said discs, a pair of upstanding pusher blades arranged in superimposed spaced relation extending between said discs and connected to said discs for rotational movement in the counterclockwise direction with respect to said discs in response to rotational movement of said discs in the clockwise direction whereby said pusher blades remain in the upstanding position upon execution of rotational movement of said discs in the clockwise direction and are simultaneously movable along an orbital path into References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 47,566 Quimby May 2, 1865 977,724 Friedman Dec. 6, 1910 1,224,349 Yessne May 1, 1916 2,095,759 Maloon Oct. 12, 1937 2,189,859 Evans Feb. 13, 1940. 2,587,092 1952 Bartsch Feb. 26, 

